Anglia Farmers
Anglia Farmers was formed in 2003 as a merger of Loddon Farmers and Mid-Norfolk Farmers and is well on its way to fulfilling its five-year vision of becoming the best agricultural purchaser in the UK.
Last year, the co-operative sourced for its 1,600 members close to £100m of products – more than double the figure three years ago, while keeping its cost base the same at just 1.58pc of turnover. The cornerstones of its growth are four-fold: operating on a direct debit basis with customers; only purchasing with firm orders; planning long-term purchasing to reduce costs; and selling at the same price as buying.

Start-rite
Start-rite is a name synonymous with children’s shoes, but with falling sales and a net loss before tax in 2003, the business had to change.
A restructured management team set about ‘resetting the clock’ and effectively created a completely new business model.
From being a manufacturer and retailer, the company over two years turned itself into a branded wholesaler, moving to new purpose-built headquarters in Norwich, installing major new IT and management information systems, and developing a new team culture.
Since beginning these changes, profits have more than doubled and there has been an impressive upturn in sales performance.

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Bewilderwood
A superb tourist attraction has been created at Bewilderwood. Using terrific imagination and careful attention to detail, a 50-acre corner of Broadland has been turned into a fantasy land for children. Woodland, marsh and waterways have been transformed into a ‘magical treehouse adventure park’, home to Tree Twiggles and Crocklebogs, which has a host of adventurous activities for children.
Judges were impressed with the quality of design and construction work on the park’s treehouses, snack shack, shop, play equipment and boardwalks. About £1.8m has been spent on the infrastructure and mainly wooden buildings at the family-owned business, which employs 40 people.

Homeserve
Homeserve Emergency Services is one of Norwich’s most successful and rapidly growing companies and now it has a headquarters building to match. The impressive new office on Broadland Business Park provides a light, airy and practical workplace for 250 staff that are at the hub of Homeserve’s operation to provide emergency repairs of glass, plumbing and drains for clients of household insurers.
The building, designed by LSI Architects and built to a high standard by Amec, has a strong presence but also complements existing office buildings on the business park and sits well among the mature trees on the site. Care for the environment has been given high priority in the project, including lighting controlled by movement sensors and permeable surfaces on car parks to allow for natural drainage.

Yarmouth Stadium
The building of a new stand at Yarmouth Stadium, incorporating the Raceview Restaurant, has, as its owners proclaim, “brought a whole new dimension to the greyhound racing experience”. Working to a tight budget, Yarmouth-based architect the Paul Robinson Partnership and builder Keir Eastern have created a building that is both practical and impressive. The snazzy glass-fronted entranceway and comfortable 240-seater restaurant add a touch of glamour to the gritty excitement of dog racing. The £2.5m project has created 70 jobs and is a major contribution to Yarmouth improving its game in the increasingly competitive tourism market.

ENVIRONMENT
Group Lotus
Lotus is acutely aware that, as a car manufacturer, any stance it takes on the environment may be treated with some irony – a case of ‘petrolheads versus eco-warriors’.
But as a company, it has enthusiastically embraced the need to have a strong environmental policy and one that pervades every level of the organisation from recycling paper in the administration offices to harnessing energy and waste water in the production process and on to developing cars that will head the green motoring agenda of the future.
In addition, Lotus plans on-site wind turbines that will produce all of its electricity as part of a comprehensive environmental pledge that sits alongside its overall five-year company plan.

Kelling Heath Holiday Park
Set among 250 acres of mixed woodland and rare open heathland, Kelling Heath is a resort that surrounds itself with the natural environment.
Yet it goes to great lengths to preserve and enhance that terrain with careful stewardship, improve rare habitats and develop environmental management systems which act as the focal point of the business.
The aim is to consistently reduce the environmental impact of the park’s operations and keep its carbon footprint as low as possible.
Expansion has been carried out in a considered way on a site that takes recycling, waste disposal and sanitation extremely seriously with a reassuring long-term environmental strategy that is admirable.

May Gurney
An audit of May Gurney’s office at Trowse, near Norwich, found that in terms of cutting waste, recycling and aiding the environment, it had to significantly up its commitment. In response, it added an environmental strand to its Making a Difference policy, appointed 15 environmental champions to lead the 270 staff towards a greener future and put in place a series of practical energy and waste-saving initiatives.
The move, which complements its environmentally-friendly approach to various project sites, will help form a long-term environmental strategy and see the initiative extended to May Gurney offices nationwide. What impressed the judges was how willingly staff at Trowse had taken on the responsibility for making changes.

Norfolk Property Services
NPS makes a significant positive impact though its community investment strategy, providing support for a variety of local organisations including the Theatre Royal, the Open Project and the Garage. Last year NPS provided almost 43pc of pre-tax profit to support the community. NPS sponsors Norfolk Prohelp, which itself makes a significant local impact and also provides pro bono professional support utilising the skills of its employees for the benefit of the
community.
NPS has led the Build Norfolk Network, which is stimulating the construction supply chain in Norfolk by supporting small businesses to improve their skills and develop capacity.

One
One Railways takes a pro-active and consistent approach to the local communities it serves. Customer and community-focused initiatives include extra Sunday services on the Norwich to Yarmouth line and the successful development of the Bittern and Wherry lines, which provide guided walks, cycle leaflets and hire links, rail ale trails and tea trails.
One provides links with theatres, children’s painting competitions, integrated ticketing with bus routes, best station schemes, ticketing deals with local attractions and sponsorship of local arts, sports and environmental events. It has staffed previously unstaffed stations, reducing vandalism and creating attractive stations, through volunteer groups with more comfort whilst also increasing revenue.

CUSTOMER CARE
Bennett Homes
Family-run house builder Bennett Homes, based in Bury St Edmunds, has kept customer service at the forefront of its business since it was established 60 years ago.
Before, during and after the buying process, Bennett Homes prides itself in providing the best possible experience for the customer.
From the small touches, such as a personalised welcome board on arrival at the company’s visitor centre and the £20 travel expenses that it will cover to get you there, to the bigger ones, such as the ‘lend-a-home’ scheme where Bennett Homes will move customers, rent-free, into a property to wait for theirs to be finished, the customer really is put first.

Johnstone Recruitment Solutions
Johnstone may have changed shape as a business since it was established in 2002, but customer service has never moved from its number one priority.
The small, friendly team pride themselves on providing an excellent service to customers – which means the company’s corporate clients and the candidates.
Professionalism is key, as is flexibility.
Their mobile phones are never switched off, so candidates can call them at any time of the day, and interviews with candidates can be held at Johnstone’s offices and out of hours to ensure complete privacy from existing employers.
Other aspects that stood out to the judges included the fact that none of the team’s salaries is commission-based, and the company offers a money-back guarantee to companies who recruit through it.

Keep IT Clean
Claire Burke set up Keep IT Clean with a grant from the Princes Trust in 1997.
For the past 10 years she has been offering a specialist IT equipment cleaning service in East Anglia.
Claire will be the first to tell you that customer service is the cornerstone to the success of Keep IT Clean.
Driven more by a desire to exceed all customer expectations than by profit, Claire has many initiatives in place to ensure her customers are happy with her service.
These include using the same team to carry out cleans for the same company; creating solutions for customers who may require something a bit unusual; and ensuring that a 100pc feedback record is maintained.

BEST INDUSTRY/EDUCATION LINK
City of Norwich School and May Gurney
Hundreds of students at City of Norwich School benefit each year from a highly successful link with construction services giant May Gurney, a partnership built on solid foundations that’s going from strength to strength. Everything from outings and one-day engineering challenges to work placements and sponsorships bring the school and the Trowse-based firm even closer together.
Skills, experience, resources and knowledge flow both ways in this rewarding relationship – and, as a major employer, May Gurney gets closer to its potential workforce of the future. The link has a serious purpose... but both partners agree it’s all about having fun, too!

Wymondham College & Lotus Engineering
Plenty of clever thinking and practical legwork were needed when Wymondham College youngsters were set a challenge by Lotus Engineering. Through the Engineering Education Scheme, the firm asked sixth-formers to design and build a test rig that can measure the brake-pedal power of motorists after they have undergone knee surgery.
Working alongside Lotus engineers and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, students created a simulator that tests whether drivers can brake safely. Their invention has provoked much interest among other pupils, staff, parents and the wider public. It’s been another superb year for this high-profile and prospering partnership.

Harford Manor School & Pizza Express
A real recipe for success was created when Harford Manor School in Norwich and the St Benedict’s branch of Pizza Express first joined forces several years ago.
Students and staff from the special school and the team at the busy pizza restaurant have forged a genuinely warm and remarkable friendship that goes far deeper than many corporate/community relationships.
Visiting Pizza Express, making pizzas, working and eating together has helped youngsters to learn more about food hygiene, money-handling, communication and social skills. Staff at Pizza Express thoroughly enjoy the experience and say it teaches them many important lessons as well.

Aquaterra
With an impressive customer list that includes BP, Total, Texaco and British Gas, Aquaterra is providing Norfolk know-how to 13 countries spanning three continents by solving problems in the off-shore hydrocarbon industry.
The firm, which started with five staff in January last year, now employs more than 30, and has grown its turnover to an impressive £9m – £6m of which is spent with local suppliers.
Managing director George Morrison is rightly “people-focused”, and working hard to address the Norfolk skills gap as well as growing a vibrant and successful business in a sector key to the county’s economy.

Blackfriars Brewery
Former headteacher Bill Russell had always brewed beer at home, so when the prospect of voluntary redundancy came up, he jumped at the chance to put his hobby into business practice.
A university course later, the result is Blackfriars Brewery, which proudly boasts to be Yarmouth’s only brewery and, one day perhaps, a worthy successor to the legendary Lacons that closed in the town in the 1960s.
Already, one of the firm’s six real ales has won the coveted overall champion beer at last year’s Norwich Beer Festival. The judges recognised the enthusiasm for all things local displayed by Bill and his strong commitment to putting Yarmouth on the brewing map.

STAFF CARE
Soup
Soup is a digital communications agency, employing 60 people with an array of talents, knowledge and ideas with which they contribute to the success of the business. Regular training in new digital developments keeps the staff at the top of their game, and interactive internal communications – such as blogs – encourage company-wide idea sharing.
Soup operates many staff incentives, and one of the most successful is ‘I’m from Soup – get me out of here’. Bi-monthly, teams of six are given £3,000 and two days off work to travel anywhere in the world. The objective is to enjoy themselves, bond and come up with ideas to improve the company. The group make a presentation to the rest of the company on their return. At Soup, they certainly believe employment should be fun and rewarding!

Band and Brown
Each individual within the team of 10 at Band and Brown Communications contributes directly to the success of the company.
Direction and development are discussed openly in the office, and at ‘away days’ all ideas are listened to and staff are given the freedom and support to explore them.
Interviews for new staff are carried out by people in the relevant teams and no final decision is made on an appointment until the person has met the entire agency. Important dates, house moves, exam passes or good deeds are all marked with cards, flowers, bubbly or lunch at the pub. Individuals are often in the office long before they need to be – They certainly seem to like it there!

NWES
NWES is a private company limited by guarantee and registered with the government as an enterprise agency providing advice, training, finance and managed workspace to start-up and existing businesses. The most important event for the organisation is its annual strategy week.
All 60 staff contributes in sessions on operational improvements and strategic direction. Although this is a huge investment in staff time and company money, the improvements in organisation and staff ownership of the company strategy and objectives is very apparent.
The social side of working for NWES is important and is reflected through subsidised trips such as visiting the pantomime, horse-racing, curry nights and having fully-funded Christmas meals. It is obvious that people enjoy working there and the company has a caring relationship with its staff.

Wroxham Barns
When Ian Russell sold his very successful company, the Russell Organisation, it was not long before he was back at the helm of another business. Ian now heads up Wroxham Barns, a major visitor and retail attraction, which also boasts excellent food, all freshly prepared by one of Norfolk’s top chefs.
An educational farm unit and a recent special classroom facility for teachers and schools to use add to the attractions which exist for a wide range of clientele.
Careful client segmentation and adapting quality product ranges to their specific needs means that Wroxham Barns has become a very popular destination outlet. Turnover growth is on track for over 50pc over the next two years.

Panel Graphic
There are not many Norfolk manufacturing companies and even fewer that can boast that they help to produce critical components for Nissan, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Cadillac. But these are just a few of the high-profile end users of the special coatings solutions which are applied to acrylics to provide manufacturers with plastics which outperform glass.
Although lacking a traditional chemist’s background, managing director Steve Earl recognised that customers wanted more technically advanced solutions.
After extensive research in Japan his team have been able to produce solutions which are unique and which have led to a list of top-quality clients.
The company continues to experiment with different acrylic finishes, resulting in close dialogue with one of the largest manufacturers in the world which is seeking the solutions which Panel Graphic can provide. Performance of the company is strong, with turnover increasing by 30pc a year over the past five years.